


Second Life: Neo Insomnia

by clareturner23



Series: Second Life [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:43:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27623555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clareturner23/pseuds/clareturner23
Summary: Reborn to another world, Nora (Noctis), Arya (Ardyn), and Alex (Nyx) all find themselves facing daemons once more. This time all get to have happy endings and work together.
Relationships: Aera Mirus Fleuret/Ardyn Izunia, Cor Leonis & Regis Lucis Caelum, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Nyx Ulric, Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Second Life [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1976899
Kudos: 2





	Second Life: Neo Insomnia

Her chest felt heavy. It took her a few minutes after shooting up from her slumber to realize her old life was left behind. Crimson, wavy locks were sticking to her forehead as she tried to calm her nerves and pulled the warm comforter over her naked breasts. Once she was calm once more, she looked over at the platinum blond lover sleeping soundly at her side. The young woman sighed and tried to smile as she brushed a strand out of his perfect face. She didn’t deserve him. Nor did she deserve love. Not after the terrors, she had brought to life in the past world of Eos. It was still the dead of winter, so the deep darkness still consumed the air in the early morning of 4:30 am whilst the light would not stir until 7:30. She cursed the clock when she realized just how tired she was. If she tried to sleep once more she would never wake up for her classes. 

When she got up to gather her clothes for her morning shower is when the little being inside her decided to make its presence known. She rubbed her palm on her now growing abdomen as she suddenly thanked the darkness for keeping her secret safe…at least for now. She barely got her robe on when she had to run to the bathroom to empty the contents of the previous night’s dinner into the porcelain throne. She caught her breath and wiped her mouth on her personal towel and sighed.

“Must you cause me so much trouble little one?” She mused with her hands on her stomach. She was already four months along and almost five, yet none of her housemates knew. Not to mention she was terrified of becoming a mother because of who the child might be the incarnate of. Somnus had yet to be reborn. She was shocked that her fiancé David had yet to realize the changes in her body with the number of times they have had escapades in the bedroom as of late. She crept back to their shared bedroom once more to gather the clothes she needed for the day and kissed David’s forehead before heading back quietly to take her early morning shower. 

Her three-bedroom home was owned by her and her fiancé, and rented by her best friend Nora. How they came to be best friends was still a mystery to her given the circumstances that first brought them to know each other in the first place. Why did that celestial being decide it was a good idea to have them both remember everything after they turned 16? Why would he choose her while her lover deserved it so much more than she? The man who was once her sweet Aera Mirus Fleuret. The god chose the Hero, the Martyr, the Misguided Villain. The three ingredients needed to gain redemption in this second life after a long 2000 years of misery. She feared this was yet another curse she had befallen.

**_Still wish I were gone, pathetic mortal?_ ** A dark, yet soft male voice mused in her subconscious. She could never even dream of letting anyone know that daemon was still plaguing her mind. A normal human on this so-called “Earth” would send her straight into a mental institution. It was bad enough when she woke on her sixteenth birthday she was sent to a Psychologist, who poked and prodded her until she realized she must keep her mouth shut to hide the truth as she had done in her previous life. She woke with not only all of her memories but also the powers that came with it. Both of which she had to hide.

_ Yes. More than anything now that I will be a mother. I am no longer the man that created you. _

**_And what of your so-called friends? They will only betray you if they find out that I still linger in your mind. You have not told them of my current existence as being a mere side-effect of what Zehakari has given you. Though, that child in your womb… the true reason for your fears my dear._ **

_Before you arrived after Bahamut’s curse, Somnus and I had a kinder relationship. He looked up to me. Yet in my second life, I must give birth to the man who killed the love of my life._

**_Yet you still fear he will betray you once more._ **

“Leave me alone!” she finally glared into the bathroom mirror. “Just leave. I no longer need your influence.” 

The daemon finally stopped his taunting as she turned the shower on. She put _ Pandora  _ on her phone before stepping in to allow the cool water to fall on her sweaty and clammy skin… not like she could feel the temperature. She hated that part. She wanted Adagium gone forever. He irritated her, even more, when Nora insisted that she play  _ Final Fantasy XV _ in an attempt to get over her guilt and suffering. It was so strange that this world contained such a thing and felt as if it was a kick to the gut to punish her.

Apparently playing through helped the former Prince/King get over the fact that she missed her friends dearly. When they first met in College, Nora was on edge. However, because she remembered everything and maintained her stalwart persona of the chosen King. One who had spent ten years within the Crystal. Nora found it painfully easy to forgive Arya of her crimes and strived to move on as her new best friend. 

This new world was so strange. It had next to no magic yet she and Nora were able to use the powers they were once born within Eos. Their friend Alex, once a very fetching Glaive, was able to use hers once Nora had given her father a special kiss to allow the former King to remember and gain his powers back. She had hoped that since the ring had destroyed all the daemons that her parasite was gone as well only to find that he was still very much alive to her ultimate dismay. Bahamut lied to her,  _ obviously. _

The nightmare that she had been roughly awakened to this morning was simply a daily, grim reminder of all the horrible deeds she had done to get where they were now.

“ No matter what we breed   
We still are made of greed   
This is my kingdom come   
This is my kingdom come”

_ Pandora  _ always knew when to play the right songs when guilt plagued her mind. She began to shed a tear as she began to sing in tune with the words that pulled at her heart. She closed her eyes as she put her palms against the cold tile in front of her as she sang with the words softly.

“When you feel my heat   
Look into my eyes   
It’s where my demons hide   
It’s where my demons hide   
Don’t get too close   
It’s dark inside   
It’s where my demons hide   
It’s where my demons hide”

Her voice cracked until she was no longer able to utter the lyrics. So much irony in those poetic verses. It was one of the few songs that truly spoke to her soul. Once the song was over, she sighed as she finished cleaning her body and walked out of the shower after turning the water off. She dressed in her secret maternity blue jeans with a loose black peasant top before walking out. 

“Well good morrow your majesty.” She mused dramatically bowing as Nora came out of her room glaring daggers.

“Shut up Arya… too early,” she growled as she walked past her into the bathroom herself. She always showered before bed so she didn’t have to wake up early the next day. The spoiled little princess had always been this way in both lifetimes. It was a painful reminder of how Somnus was, but she learnt to push it away.

Arya smirked to herself. Despite everything this life gave her the chance to go back to her original personality before she became a monster. Her flamboyant persona was not an act which is why being a Theater minor was a fun outlet for her to express herself. It never had been an act to gain trust. She was once like Prompto in her old youth. Perhaps that is why she chose to “kidnap” him. She wanted him to be strong for his king, true, but she also felt as if the boy needed more confidence. An optimistic young man should never lose his youth. Arya learnt that the hard way. 

“Good morning my love,” she said with a smile when she walked in to find her future husband dressing for work. David was older than her this time and worked as a history and archeology Professor. It was fitting employment due to her interests when she was alive. 

“Good morning,” he yawned with a stretch. His loving pale blue eyes stared back at his love with concern. “Not sleeping well again?” 

“Unfortunately, … I fear I do not know where my nightmares spawned from, but at least it forces me to get up. You always hate forcing me out of bed in the morning after all,” she added with a small giggle.

The professor sighed, “at least I no longer have to do early mornings for work. You know I love it when you speak old fashioned. Don’t you?” He came over and wrapped his strong arms around her holding her close to him.

She moaned slightly damning her pregnancy hormones for making her want to rip their clothes off and make love before breakfast. “Love, you know I’ve been extremely sensitive as of late… we do need breakfast before work and classes.”

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “I know come on, let’s go down for some breakfast.”

Arya pouted suddenly. “My how many times I wish we had our own personal Ignis to cook us wonderful meals.” A snort could be heard from downstairs.

David shook his head. “If we did we would have to pay him. Come on, let’s just… have cereal like always.”

“Very well,” she sighed dramatically. At least it wasn’t cloned food. They made their way downstairs to find Nora already drinking her second cup of coffee.

“Does the heat not scald your throat?” Arya asked with an eyebrow raised. “How you manage a second cup so quickly is beyond me.”

“Practice,” was all she said. She was not talking much of a talker in the morning. Never was, never will be.

“Just don’t drink all of it,” David added, rolling his eyes. Always too sweet for his own good even as a man.

Arya chuckled, “I think you should do a male version of Aera at a convention with us one day. You wouldn’t even have to wear a wig or dye your head. I could definitely do a stunning female Ardyn. I’ve been meaning to.”

David kissed her head. “I think that would be fun. I do have enough vacation days now. I think I will look into that.”

**_Ha, ‘he still loves you’ imagine what he would say if he knew who you truly were…_ **

_ What part of leaving me alone do you not understand daemon? _

Arya sighed out of frustration, tactfully putting some pressure on her temple. Why must that part of her ruin every good thing that comes into her life? The fact that she decided to cosplay Ardyn was because she wanted to face her fear. He had a lot of loyal fans who did not make much sense to the woman. She enjoyed cosplaying as Noctis’ best friend Prompto only because she was able to keep a true smile and do some fan service with her best friend to the degree that her future husband got jealous at times. Though since she was recently her distant uncle in the previous life it was awkward. He knew that it was all out of complete fun so he always allowed the two to commence in such frivolities. 

It was almost time for David to leave for work and the girls to take the bus. They were lucky enough to be able to obtain a beautiful house in the middle of a wooded area but close by to public transport. The girls missed driving, but at the moment wanted to save money. Nora’s father was paying for her to go to college but insisted that she pay for other things. Especially since he was a little upset that the Regalia was put through everything the boys put it through. She would only get a car after she graduated. 

Nora was ecstatic with the small creek that went through their property because it was always fully stocked when the season was right and she spent a lot of her time out fishing when she was not studying or playing video games. Arya always grabbed her favorite new fedora before she left the house. She always got strange looks but that accessory had always been something similar to a security blanket for the former Chancellor. When they walked out the front door is when Arya knelt to the ground with a searing pain in her head causing her fedora to fall to the ground.

“Arya!” David called kneeling down instinctively to her aid. 

“NO! GO AWAY!” She screamed. It was not aimed towards her fiancé but towards the daemon that was now pulsing through her mind. He had never done such a thing before. In this life anyway. It was something similar to the scourge. Something was up. What was happening?

“What…what’s wrong?” Nora asked worried as she stood cautiously behind David. She didn’t know what it was but she had a bad feeling. A bad feeling. A feeling that reminded her of the Ardyn of Eos. 

That was when a large portal appeared before them. David held his lover close and placed his body in front of her instinctively while staring in awe of what was before him. 

“No...not like this... “ Arya attempted to push him out of the way through the pain. It brought back too many nightmares of Aera’s death. Nora secretly summoned a small dagger from her armiger and readied herself for whatever or whoever was coming through. 

That was when a blond man, clad in all black fell to the ground in front of her. He coughed a little and aimed his gun at David and Arya when he sensed the possible danger. Nora dropped the dagger with a clang as she stared at the man in complete and utter shock. Arya just managed to look up and stare at the scene through squinted eyes. 

“Who…who are you?!” The stranger demanded. Unlike how he was as a young man, his aim was steady and his resolve was firm. Nora was in tears. Her best friend was back.

_ I did a good job with him… even if he did not know it. _ Arya mused silently trying to ignore the constant, dark chuckling inside of her mind. It was then that the blond turned the gun on her.

“H…how? Noct fixed it! The daemons were wiped out!!” he demanded. Arya was at a loss for words until she felt something slimy in her hands. She looked down and closed it once more not allowing anyone else to see what she had seen.

Nora gasped out of fear and shock backing away. David immediately stood between the gun and his betrothed with a sturdy glare. “Get that thing away from my fiancé!” His voice was a protective one similar to what he had while trying to stop Somnus from hurting Ardyn. 

“Please… not again…” Arya said with tears pulling him back by the pant leg.

Two other men soon followed the blonde’s through the portal, which closed after their arrival. One was a large brawny man with a large sword while the other was a slim man who was obviously severely visually impaired and wore dark glasses to cover most of his scars. 

“She has Starscourge!” The first stranger insisted, pointing at the cowering woman trying to pull David out of the range of his gun.

“What the Hell!” The brute exclaimed, getting his sword ready. 

Nora said nothing but looked at Arya, along with a very confused ex-Oracle. Both of them stared at the woman who knelt terrified on the doorstep. 

“That’s… impossible…”

“Ar…Arya…” Nora whispered with an apologetic whisper. She turned to the three men. “Listen, please calm down. Arya here is our friend and she would never hurt anyone. I’m sure there’s a good…reason for all of this ok? Just, please put the weapons down.”

“Who are you?” The blind man inquired. There was an obvious twitch in Nora’s shaking hand. 

“D...David, please, not again…” Arya screamed and held her head again, this time backing away from all of them. “No…no… not again… go away. I have done what Zehikari asked of me. I want you  _ gone _ ! Leave me alone!” Arya screamed now holding her head while assuming the fetal position.

“Arya…” David began trying to kneel to his love.

“NO! Stay back!” She pleaded. “Do not make me hurt you again! He killed you because of me. I will not turn him into a daemon again! I refuse!” His fiance’s eyes widened in shock. 

“What do you mean… again?” The man asked her this softly, trying his best to comfort his future wife. He hated seeing her suffer like this. Arya just looked away. She hated seeing that look. The same look Aera had to defend her. She was crying a mixture of scourge and tears.

“Um… what exactly is going on with her?” The blond lowered her gun and turned to Nora, who seemed to be the calmest out of all of them. “If the plague exists in... wherever we just ended up, then why is she able to hold them back? Isn’t that a bad case?”

“It… It’s complicated?” Nora shrugged. 

Before any more questions could be asked the already brisk atmosphere was beginning to grow colder. Frost began to overtake the roots and plants surrounding them causing the group to shiver. Nora’s eyes widened recognizing this particular feeling. This did not, however, affect Arya. She stayed in her position never wavering from her spot as if the suddenly frozen tundra did not bother her at all. 

“You have done just as Zehakari has asked of you,” a warm voice rang through the trees. Arya looked up in terror. Not  _ her _ . Anyone but  _ her. _ She and the others have cursed and betrayed her. Why should she trust this ice goddess? Then again… she was able to save her own lover in the end.

“Sh… Shiva?” Arya’s words she thought were silent but were heard from the rest of the company. 

“Sh… Sh… Shiva? As in… in the… H… Hindu… G…God?” David shivered in complete confusion.

“No, my love,” his partner sighed as she slowly got up trying to fight off the daemon’s constant laughter and accusations. She pulled David away since she was still terrified of losing him again.Her voice was caught between a demonic distortion and her own feminine tone as if she were fighting off a horrible beast from the inside. The former Fleuret widened his eyes when he saw the black goop coming from the eyes and mouth of the woman he loved. “As in the Glacian. One of the Six Astrals of Eos.”

“That’s… that’s impossible,” he muttered.

“As impossible as Glady Daddy, Momma Ignis, and Prompto showing up?” Nora’s voice was just as wisecracked as always. Though it was obvious she was trying to calm her nerves

Ignis tripped on a tree branch when he heard his title. “Why are you acting so calm?” She asked out of panic. His future wife’s eyes and mouth were bleeding black, three men came tumbling out of a portal, and now a strange voice was coming out of nowhere. Before anyone could say anymore, the Glacian appeared before Arya who backed away in her obvious fight with the beast inside of her. 

“There is no need to fear me, former fallen King,” she placed a hand of ice under the red-heads chin and lifted her head gently to meet her eyes. “Your time as the Accursed is over. Your penance will be to assist the second chosen and hero of the Glaives to save this world that the god of Rebirth has created. Now that those from the present have met the souls of the past the daemons have appeared once more to scourge this town. If the problem is not resolved by the tenth year they will escape the confines of this great city and spread far and wide to consume the Earth along with many other enemies from various places. You must stop your other half before it is too late.”

Shiva’s lips were placed on Arya’s forehead as her hands caressed either side of her cheeks. The woman that was once Ardyn Lucis Caelum screamed as she felt as if her body was splitting into two. Once the pain was gone the sudden coldness overtook her body as she knelt to the ground shivering for the first time in a very long time. Her hair was jet black, and no longer the deep red she was born with. Her eyes were also blue instead of the light brown (instead of natural gold). As soon as she appeared, the goddess disappeared. A cold chuckle came from behind all of the slowly thawing humans. The group turned to face the appearance of the man himself. 

“Why thank you for freeing me from that pathetic vessel. I was getting weary of the constant mood swings, morning sickness, and constant bouts of sexual relations with the former first Oracle.” Ardyn’s daemon seethed. His appearance was the same as it was in Eos. It seemed as if the female  _ vessel _ had no effect on the daemon inside of her. “Now I am free to do as I wish. Maybe this time I can truly end the line of Lucis without the humanity that caused me to act as a hero in disguise. That was truly a weak-minded plan my dear, especially when you felt so much nostalgia from Prompto that you decided to push him to the right direction so that his courage would never again waver. Not to mention that you…”

The evil being’s speech was interrupted when a blue flash of light pierced the man’s shoulder. In an instant, the shivering body of Nora was glaring at the dark man with eyes glowing pink. 

“Ah, the King remembers,” the daemon mused.

“Get the hell off of our property,” she glared. 

“N… Nora…!” David yelled. “I don’t know how you did that, but you need to take that sword out of his arm. It’s hurting Arya…somehow!”

The daemon smirked as the former monarch turned to find Arya still kneeling and clutching her now bleeding arm wincing in pain. Nora huffed and warped towards the others while the dark figure approached slowly to his other half’s betrothed.

“Prompto! Gladio! Ignis! If any of you have a potion she needs one now!” Nora announced to the three of the remaining brothers. 

Ignis froze for a moment, before walking over until Gladio grabbed his arm. “Did I hear a warp similar to Noctis’?” he asked calmly. The Shield was staring at the scene still extremely confused. From what Nora could tell they must have just seen his body on the throne.

Prompto was quietly trying to observe the scene in front of him. That girl “Nora” warped and glared at the doppelganger of Ardyn that was ripped from the cowering girl at the doorway. The one puzzling thing of all… they knew their names. 

“Gladio, I do not sense any malice. Only the daemon that came from her body. From what I can tell she is just a scared young woman who was hurt as well when Ardyn was stabbed. I am still blind, but I remember the sound of Noct’s warping ability from anywhere. We should take care of the woman first and ask questions afterward.” Ignis batted Gladio’s arm away as he walked to where the girls were kneeling. He took out the green container and handed it to Nora who immediately activated the potion onto Arya’s bleeding shoulder as if she had done it for years. 

“Th… Thank you… Ignis… N…Noct…” Arya panted, with her hand never leaving her stomach. 

“Noct?” Ignis asked facing the two women. “How is it you?”

“GET AWAY FROM MY PROPERTY!” David’s voice was firm, as he grasped the ragged clothing attached to Ardyn.

“Come now Oracle, I linger so that you may remember who you once were.” Without warning, the 2000-year-old grabbed hold of David and forced his mouth onto the former Prince. He pushed him away while he knelt to the ground with a sudden pain in his head.

“DAVID!” Arya cried as she threw a stone to warp towards her beloved now not caring that her former half was standing above him. 

“I believe daylight has begun to rise,” her darker half-sung. “Do take care of yourself and that child of yours. Lest he betrays you and kills his father..”

The daemon disappeared as his better half glared into the darkness where he once stood cradling her lover in her arms. Tears fell from her eyes as she held David close to him. She knew what he had done. That kiss returned all the memories he had of being Aera Mirus Fleuret. 

“How…” David painted with tears as his attention was drawn to his chest, which was trying to calm down. “My… Ar...Ar...dyn?”

Arya said nothing as she let go of him and ran away into the woods, using that same stone to use warping to help her move faster. Nora began to run after her but Gladiolus grabbed her arm first.

“What the hell is going on!” He demanded. 

“You must be Noctis then, how has Adagium left her body like that?” David asked calmly, trying to stay kind like he always had been as Aera.

“Noctis?” Gladio asked, confused, lightening his grip.

The former King of Lucis sighed. “Yea, it’s me Gladio,” she began. “Noctis…”

“N…Noct?” Prompto piped up. Nora could tell his voice was holding back tears. “How… what… why are you a woman?”

“Of all the things to ask your best friend that’s the first thing that came to mind?” She chuckled softly. “Glad to know you haven’t changed much. I think we should all take the day off today. I’m glad to finally meet you formally, Aera. I wish that Ardyn had not given in as he did though. He definitely loved you more than I could ever love Luna. Besides, she was meant for Nyx,” she shrugged.

“From what I can tell,” Ignis began. “You have all been reborn in this other world correct? You as Noctis and Arya… as the Chancellor?”

Nora was silent but nodded. “Yea Specs… But as you can tell, a lot has changed.”

“I’m… going after her. Adagium is out of her now. I want to be there for her this time. He was so lost without me,” David’s words shook as he ran in the direction of the woman he loved.. Above all, she wanted to make her understand that she didn’t need to be afraid of her or take on anymore blame. The words of that daemon forced his legs to run faster towards her direction.  _ Pregnant. She’s pregnant. Why haven’t you told me, my love? You know how much I wanted to be a mother back then, just as much as I want to be a father now. Please do not run from me. _


End file.
